Distributor for dividing a flowing stream of material



April 3, 1951 s. A. STONE 2,547,794 DISTRIBUTOR FOR DIVIDING A FLOWING STREAM OF MATERIAL Filed Sept. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

' PENCEE /9. 57'0 NE,

April 3, 1951 s. A. STONE DISTRIBUTOR FOR DIVIDING A FLOWING STREAM OF MATERIAL Filed Sept. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nil J INVENTOR. f/VffP/QJTO/YE,

Patented Apr. 3, 1951 DISTRIBUTOR FOR DIVIDINGA FLOVVING :STREAM F MATERIAL Spencer A. Stone, Fort Wayne, Ind.,:assignor .to The :Deister Concentrator Company, .Eort Wayne, 1nd,, a corporation-of Indiana Applicationsepteniber 13, 194'6,'SerialNo.'696300 2 Claims. I

In the processing of bulk material it is 'frequently desiredto divide a flowing streamof-material into equal portions which are to bedirected to different destinations. An example of such stream division'is foundintne art of ore'dressing, where pulp is to be distributed among a battery of concentrating tables. The particular apparatus illustrated and described hereinafter is designed for use in controlling the feed toa battery of concentratingtables,and for convenience I shall describe my invention as embodied in such an apparatus. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that'specific use but has application to-any situation where a stream of bulk material is to be divided into equal portions for any purpose whatsoever.

In a battery of concentrating tables fed from a common source, it may occasionally be necessary to interrupt the flow of material to one of the tables. If the remaining tables fed from the common source are to be continued in operation, interruption of the feed to one table either involves an increase of the rate of feed to the remaining tables or requires a readjustment of the rate of flow of the main stream. The latter alternative may be impractical while the former, if overloading of the tables is to be avoided, requires that the tables be operated normally at less than their full capacity.

It is the object of my invention to produce a feed distributor which will operate to divide a main stream of bulk material into a plurality of branch streams and which will maintain each branch stream flowing at a substantially-constant rate irrespective of interruption of the flow of other branch streams.

In carrying out my invention, I may employ any suitable type of apparatus by which a'stream of material supplied to the apparatus is divided equally among a plurality of feed compartments in a splitting-tank. Associated with all the feed compartments is a supplementarycompartment. The feed compartments and-supplementary compartment are provided respectively with-outlets, the outlets of the main compartments feeding the respective units and the outlets of "the supplementary compartment discharging either to a standby unit, to waste, or to the source from which the main stream of material flows. In one modification of my invention hereinafter described, the supplementary compartment is associated with an auXiliary splitting-tank having a series of feed compartments which are fed respectively from the compartments of the main splittingtank and which discharge to the units; and means ,2 are provided for directing the discharge from each compartment of the main splitting-tank either to one of the feed compartments -of the other splitting-tank or into the supplementary compartment. In another modification of .my invention, the compartments of the main ssplitting-tank are so arranged thatthe material being fed can-accumulate inany feedcompartment Fig. .5 'is afragmentaliviewsimilar to Fig. 1 .illustrating a modified construction.

In the :apparatus illustrated :in .Figs. 1 to 4, a frame in is provided with bearings 13 and Hi whichrotatably'support a vertical shaft 15. Upon the shaft l5 'thereis rigidly mounted a distributing tank 16 provided .in its bottom wall with one or more .outletfittings l1. Preferably, each of-such outletfittings :comprises a conventional pipe-cou- .pling set in :the bottom wall of the tank and adapted to :receive ;a bushing :or set of bushings by which the rate of flow through the fitting may be controlled.

To prevent splashin of material fed through the rotatable tank I6, the frame I0 may-support a stationary cover .Zdoverlyi-ng the-upper end of the tank. If such ascover is-employed, it is provided with an opening 21 adapted to receive a feed-chute 22 supplied through a'conduit 23 with the material which is to-be distributed. In order to prevent the velocity of the entering material from interfering with the division of such materialamongthe outlet fittings 1.1, the chute 22 may dischargegenerally axially into the upper end of a cylindrical shield 24 coaxial with the tank l6 and-of less diameter and :axial content.

The shaft 15 and the tank [6 mounted thereon may be rotated in any convenient manner. In the apparatus shown, tank-rotation is obtained by the use of an electric motor 26 which'drives a friction wheel :2! bearing against an annular fiange28 on the tank it. Other methods of rotatingithe tankzmay-be employed if desired. For example, .rotation of "the tank may the obtained merely by .carranging the .chute 22 so that it will discharge tangentiallyuor by arranging the out- 3 let fittings so that they will discharge tangentially. I prefer, however, to employ the motor 25 or its equivalent, as the rotation of the tank at the desired rate is more readily and more positively effected.

Below the distributing tank I6 I provide a cylindrical main splitting-tank 30, which is supported from the frame in any convenient manner and which is divided into a circumferential series of compartments 30' of substantially equal size. As shown, the compartments 3%) are subdivisions of an annular space between the side wall of the tank and a vertically extending standpipe 3| of smaller diameter, the subdivision being effected by a series of equally spaced, radially disposed partitions 32. Four of the compartments 39 are shown in the drawing, as it is assumed that the material fed from the chute 22 is to be divided among four concentrating tables; but it is to be understood that the number of compartments will vary in accordance with the number of branches into which the main stream is to be divided.

The construction as so far described is not novel. When the tank I is rotated and the material to be divided is supplied thereto through the feed-chute 22, such material escapes through the outlet fittings H. In the rotation of the tank, each of such outlet fittings passes successively over all the compartments 35' in the splitting tank 30. As a result, the material supplied to the rotating tank IE will be evenly distributed among the several compartments 30. The effective size of the outlet fittings H is controlled to insure that a quantity of the material being distributed will always be retained in the rotating tank.

In applying my invention after the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, each of the compartments 30 of the splitting-tank 30 is provided with an outlet fitting 35 comprising a downwardly projecting nipple. Below the main splitting-tank 30 there is mounted in the frame In an auxiliary splitting-tank 31 having an annular series of compartments 31' corresponding in number to the compartments of the main splitting-tank, such compartments being defined by the cylindrical wall of the auxiliary splittingtank, an annular wall 38 of lesser diameter, and a plurality of radially extending partitions 39. If desired, the auxiliary splitting-tank may be provided with a center tube 40 open at its upper and lower ends to provide access to the lower shaft-bearing |4.

Mounted on the lower end of each of the nipples 35 isa goose-neck fitting 42 which can be rotated about the axis of its associated nipple to discharge either into one of the compartments 3? of the auxiliary splitting-tank or into the well or supplementary compartment 38 within the annular wall 38. If the auxiliary splitting-tank 3? has a cover 43, as is desirable to prevent splashing, such cover may be provided above each of the compartments 31 with an opening 44 and above the compartment 38' with a series of openings 45, as will be clear from Fig. 3. The openings 44 and 45 are so located that any of the fittings 42, by rotation about the axis of its associated nipple 35, may be brought into alignment with either an opening 44 or an opening 45. Preferably, each fitting 42 is axially movable as well as rotatable upon its associated nipple 35 so that it may be lowered to extend into the opening with which it is aligned. A set screw 46 carried by each fitting 42 in position to engage the associated nipple 35 may be employed to hold each fitting 42 in proper position.

Each of the compartments 31 of the auxiliary splitting-tank is provided at its bottom with an outlet opening connected with a conduit 59, the several conduits 50 extending respectively to the units among which the feed is to be distributed. The supplementary compartment 38 is likewise provided at its bottom with an outlet opening, which is connected with a conduit 5| that may extend to a stand-by unit, to waste, or to means for returning to the main stream any material which enters it.

In the operation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the several fittings 42 are normally disposed to discharge respectively into the compartments 31' of the auxiliary splitting tank. As the material to be distributed is evenly divided by the rotating tank I6 among the compartments 30 of the main splitting tank, and as such compartments discharge into the respective compartments 31 of the auxiliary splittingtank, the material fed to the distributor will be equally divided among the several conduits 50. If it becomes necessary for any reason to interrupt the supply of material to any of the units fed by the conduits 50, the corresponding fitting 42 is adjusted to discharge into the supplementary compartment 38' of the auxiliary splittingtank, as shown in the case of the left-hand fitting 42 in Fig. l. Thereafter, the distribution of the material among the compartments 30' of the main splitting-tank and the discharge of material from such compartments proceeds as before; but the material discharged through the re-adjusted fitting 42 enters the supplementary compartment 38 rather than one of the feed compartments 31', and therefore is diverted from the unit to which it would otherwise be supplied. Since the readjustment of the fitting 42 in no way ailects the rate of discharge from each compartment 30 of the main splittingtank, the distribution of material among the remaining compartments 37 of the auxiliary splitting-tank is unaffected, and the rate of flow of material to the units remaining in operation remains unchanged.

In the modification of my invention illustrated in Fig. 5, a single splitting-tank 55 is employed, such tank being mounted in the frame In below the rotating distributing tank IS. The tank 55 is provided with a central stand-pipe 56, which protects the thrust bearing l4, and with an annular partition 51 having a diameter intermediate those of the stand-pipe 56 and the side Wall of the tank. The annular space between partition 51 and the side wall of the tank 55 is divided into compartments 58 by a plurality of equally spaced, radially disposed partitions 59. Each of the compartments 58 discharges through conduits 50 to a concentrating table or other unit which is to be supplied with its quota of the material being distributed. The annular space between the stand-pipe 56 and the intermediate partition 51 constitutes the supplementary compartment, which discharges, as before, through the conduit 5|.

The intermediate partition 51 has a height materially less than that of the tank 55. As a result, if the discharge of material through any of the pipes 50 is prevented, as by inserting a plug in the discharge end of such pipe, material accumulating in the associated compartment 58 will overflow into the supplementary compartment and escape through the conduit 5|. To prevent any such accumulated material from escaping into an adjacent compartment 58 instead of into the supplementary compartment, the radial partitions 59 extend upwardly beyond the annular partitions 5'5 to an elevation beyond that which can be reached by any material accumulating in any of the compartments 58. In Fig. 5, it is assumed that the material being handled by the apparatus has an angle of repose corresponding to the inclination of the dotted lines A which, as is evident, pass through the upper edge of the an-- nular partition 51 and extend upwardly and outwardly therefrom. As material can accumulate in any of the compartments 58 until the upper surface reaches the line A, the partitions 58 should extend upwardly beyond the elevation at which the lines A intersect the near surface of the side wall of the tank 55.

In the use of the construction shown in Fig. 5, the rotating distributing tank 16 divides the feed equally among the various compartments 58. As long as the discharge of each compartment through its associated discharge conduit 50 remains uninterrupted, the material fed to the tank l6 will be distributed equally among the several units to which the conduits 5B are respectively connected. If it is desired to stop one of such units while the remaining units continue in operation, or if for any other reason it is desired to interrupt the supply of material to one unit While that to the remaining units is continued at an unaltered rate, it is necessary only to stop the flow of material through the proper pipe 5a, which result can be accomplished by plugging or capping the outlet opening of such pipe or in .1;

any other convenient Way. As the feed to the rotating distributing tank 16 continues, the material will continue to be evenly divided among the several compartments 58, and those units connected to pipes 50 through which the flow of material has not been interrupted will continue to be fed at the normal rate. However, in the com partment connected to the pipe 50 through which the flow has been stopped the material supplied from the tank IE will accumulate until it overflows into the supplementary compartment and escapes through conduit 5|. If the partitions 59 extend upwardly beyond any elevation which can be attained by material accumulating in any of the compartments 58, the only escape for such accumulated material is by way of the supplementary compartment and its associated discharge pipe 5! As a result, if flow through any pipe 50 is stopped, the rate of flow through the remaining pipes remains unchanged.

I claim as my invention: 1

1. In apparatus of the type described, an annular series of main compartments each having radially spaced, oircumferentially extending walls and circumferentially spaced, radially extending walls, a distributor arranged to receive bulk material and to distribute it equally among such main compartments, and a take-oil pipe for each of said main compartments and connected thereto near the bottom thereof, one circumferentially extending wall of each compartment having an upper edge located below the upper edges of the radially extending compartment walls, whereby upon any interruption of discharge from any compartment through the associated take-011 pipe the material collecting in such compartment will spill over such circumferentially extending wall before reaching a height suflicient to spill over a radially extending wall into an adjoining coinpartment.

2. Inapparatus of the type described, an annular series of main compartments each having radially spaced, circumferentially extending walls and circumferentially spaced, radially extending walls, a distributor arranged to receive bulk material and to distribute it equally among such main compartments, a take-01f pipe for each of said main compartments and connected thereto near the bottom thereof, the inner circumferentially extending wall of each compartment having an upper edge located below the upper edges of the radially extending compartment walls, whereby upon any interruption of discharge from any compartment through the associated take-off pipe the material collecting in such compartment will spill over the inner wall before reaching a height suflicient to spill over a radially extending wall into an adjoining compartment, the inner walls of the several main compartments defining a supplementary compartment, and a take-off pipe for said supplementary compartment.

SPENCER A. STONE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Buckman Nov. 7, 1944 

